Can't wrap my head around something...

[mmacauley]

I am still shopping for a larger hatt (50-55 convertible) that I can fish a lot and liveaboard. One thing I cannot figure out (shame on me for thinking I was smarter than I apparently am) is jumping from a 52 to a 55, there is a jump from the 8v92 to the 12v71 and so I keep wondering if a 52 is underpowered with an 8 vs. a 12. I really like the 1979-81's.

Can someone explain it to me?

My plan is to buy a vessel in a slip in FL by year end and keep her there through winter and bring her North in the spring, hire a captain friend of mine to make the trip. I also will hire surveyors and engine techs to teach me about the systems for a couple days at a time so I can eat the elephant in bites.

All comments welcome!

[GJH]

When shopping for my boat, I noticed that Hatteras in the same years would equip the nest step up in length with 650hp 12v71s instead of 650hp 8v92s. For instance, they made a factory cockpit extension version of my boat, called the 61CPMY. Same boat other wise except the cockpit and the engines. The 61 Motor Yacht (Extended deckhouse, no cockpit) of the same years also had the 12s. The 58 seriesII MYs had the 8s, and so on. The 12s have a more favorable HP to cubic inch ratio, having 840 cubes vs 736.

I always figured it was the torque but as an amateur am interested in what others more expert know about this.

[whaler23]

Many would say by today's standard our old Hatt's are underpowered. My 52C has the TI's 8v92 and will cruise at 20 and top out near 24. Plenty of speed and power for me. At 735 HP though they are rated at 1hp per cubic inch which is about as high as I would want to go. I typically cruise at 1500 RPM making about 15-16 knots for decent fuel economy.

[saltshaker]

There is a big difference between the 52C and the 55C. The 55C is a much bigger boat. It weighs about 30% more than the 52C. The 52C with the 720HP 8V92's will outperform the 55C with the 650HP 12V71's and is similar in performance to a 55C with the 870HP 12V71's. Both boats are great fishing platforms. If you plan to live aboard the 55C will be much more comfortable. Do you want 2 or 3 staterooms? There are fewer 2 stateroom boats around but they will be lower priced and may be better for a single live aboard. Curious why you prefer the '79-'81 55C's. Is it the smaller engines? The later years are more desirable so that too will work in your favor. I was looking for a 52C but decided the 55C was a better deal for about the same money. In the end I ended up with a 65EB. Where up north are you planning to keep the boat? Don't forget to consider the cost to move it in your budget. With today's fuel prices the cost is significant.

[mmacauley]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

So you guys have helped me answer some questions with regards to the engines and moving a heavy vessel around and so I thought I would give you some context...

I live on the ME/NH border and tuna fish every day I can with a buddy of mine usually inside 25 miles on his 365 Grady white. I own a business with 3 partners and as long as I have access to an airport I can live anywhere and if I am not that busy, I want to be able to leave the dock for an overnight or two and go 25-100 miles. The 55c size gives me more fuel and more room and having owned the smaller single prop rockets in my youth, I want comfort, fishability, and a quality platform I can tweak as I go. The speedy days bombing around to impress the ladies are behind me and I want my kids to have their own rooms.

For the money the early 80's look like a solid platform, it's a buyers market for sure and have missed some epic deals already probably being too patient. I still hold out hope for the widow who just wants her late husbands toy gone and wants to give it to an upstanding young man like myself :-) but I won't be holding my breath.I also dont want to spend over $500k until my kids are through college in another 16 years or until I sell my business and have 7 figures liquid and can just fish for sport & dinner.

So good advice on moving one up North given the cost of fuel. Even if I did it on a tank/month I could make it work if I have an airport nearby. Although I will need to do some back of the napkin calculations to see if spending $25k more in Long Island/NJ is cheaper than spending less in FL with $40k in fuel as part of the deal.

Keep the comments coming - I love every one of them.

[saltshaker]

Sounds like the 52C or the 55C would work well for you. The 55C will cost a little more to run but for nearly the same money as a 52C, it's a lot more boat. Either boat pre '87 will be much cheaper and they are riding on the same hull. Are you going to leave the boat up north once you get there or will you head south for the winters? Fl boats can be cheaper but they are used a lot more than northern boats. Not necessarily a bad thing but something to consider.

[thoward]

The 52C 3 stateroom is quite cramped IMO. We just picked up a 2 stateroom model which offers a much larger salon. I am impressed with the boat although the ER is awfully tight.

You said kids plural? In that case, I would look at the 55C. The fuel capacity on either boat should not be an issue. The 12v71 will obviously cost more for overhauls than the 8v92. I would also look at the number of systems. Our 60EB had 5 AC units, 5 fridge/freezer units, 2 generators and the 2 mains. The 52C has 3 AC units, 3 fridge/freezer units, 1 generator and the 2 mains. That, in itself, is a big reduction in maintenance. Add in a windless, davit, tower, controls, electronics and dingy; you end up with a lot more work.

[Pascal]

"if spending $25k more in Long Island/NJ is cheaper than spending less in FL with $40k in fuel as part of the"

Where do you get the $40k figure for fuel? Slow it down and you can do the trip for a third of that

I use between 3100 and 3300 Usg for the seasonal run from Miami to Nantucket with a 70 footer, so that s about $11 to $12k in fuel

[Boatnut]

I suppose if you don't eat, drink or sleep on the trip there are more to expenses than just fuel. Not everyone has someone else paying the bills.

I wish I could sit on a boat and watch others do the repair work the owner is paying for, so I could get in a forum and be an online exsputs.

[saltshaker]

"if spending $25k more in Long Island/NJ is cheaper than spending less in FL with $40k in fuel as part of the"

Where do you get the $40k figure for fuel? Slow it down and you can do the trip for a third of that

I use between 3100 and 3300 Usg for the seasonal run from Miami to Nantucket with a 70 footer, so that s about $11 to $12k in fuel

I spent 18K to move my boat from Longboat Key, Fl to Morehead City, NC. Just over 1000NM. That was for a captain, fuel, slip fees, food, restaurants, provisions etc. We didn't run hard so it could have been more. We ran 2 days at 11kts and the rest at 17.5kts-18kts.